Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-09-17
4 YEAR OF ROOMS.

tive man and speaks advisedly.
YEAR OF ROOMS.
This year of 1887 has been year re-
markabls for town booms. The towns of
Lima and Findlxy, Ohio. developed early
in the year ~ twin wonders. Ono town
struck oil in abundant quantities and the
other natural gas, and both towns were
we'll worked by the wind tanners. Each
was TO be great metropolis within the
year-yet precisely why nobody could spec
ify. Yet people rushed from Springfield
and other solid industrial and trading towns.
to invest in gush and get evsrlastingly rich
within few weeks. Some nice little sums
of money were gathered in by certain sup
posed o-be-for parties, but after
awhile. the gathering began to go the
other way. The chaps who got
out from under in time are
smiling and happy. The chaps who are
still holding the bag for snipes that will not
arrive for the next twenty-five years are
solemn and grumpy. Lima cannot give its
oil away and Findlay has but little use for
its natural gas. Why anything else than
this should ever have been hoped for no
man can now say. Cities cannot be built
in day on either wind or gas. and all the
year Pittsburg has stood At the confluence
Of the Ohio and Allegheny rivers, An illus
tration Of . large city with natural gas in
abundance. with immense factories to util-
great trade with all Of eastern Ohio and
western Pennsylvania. If natural gas
could promote the growth Of towns.
all the favorable conditions were in
Pittsburg. but If there has been
any extraordinary rate Of growth in
the city named. We have failed to
hear of it. The city il growing; it is
solid town-and yet the reign Of natural
gas has not proved revolutionary. We
have been hearing all the year about Find
lay and its extraordinary growth, and moth
ing of Pittsburg. which has thousand real
elements Of growth to Findlay's one. The
pIdih u 10 Suht viz SCAls VI AhO ktC0t
town booms Of 1887 have been the scenes
of real estate gambling. and hardly any
thing more. Men who were not satisfied
with the ordinary pursuits Of life, in which
people earn money by honest labor. have
been going from ono point to another,
drawing real estate drafts on future ages.
Some Of them have made money and some
of them have lost. Many more have lost
than have won. In the aggregate it has
been discovered that it doesn't pay to spec
ulate-or gamble.
Some of our citizens have been troubled
because we have had no boom in Spring
field. Still We started out pretty fairly in
the spring, with the sale Of hundreds of
town lots. in the line of legitimate develop
ment to men who proposed to build upon
them and occupy them. but it proved to be
The fact. at last. that everybody couldn't
sell all his property At the prices he asked. |
and SO the boom stopped. But with no
boom Springfield has already what Findlsy |
will not have in q quarter Of a century,
namely, over fifty or sixty large and pros
porous factories, sending their products to |
he ends OF the earth; . rich agricultural |
garden spot OF the great inte- |
'ior of the United States. for its physical |
large and splendid msrcan-
lie and trading houses, with . business
eaching out in all directions indeed. Q |
,rowing city of hardly less than 40, 900 in
labitants. with all desirable metropolitan |
eatures, famous for its solid and thriving
Industries, its enterprise, its public spirit
md its nerve and pluck. Every
'Ody knows just why Springfield
las grown. 1t had the honest
md substantial elements of growth. and,
had to grow. 1t couldn't help it.
I is true that it has had its misfortunes
Turing the year; but these have not serious
y affected the plant and good will-the
usiness capacity and the prospects for the
oming year Of the concerns interested: and
We may now reasonably hope that the single
rOup Of local industries affected will soon
njoy 4 safe, conservative revival that will
rove permanent. 1t is quite true that
len cannot make fOrtunes-tbat Is t.
ny. ali men cannot who would like
by buying and selling local real estate;
nat the men who wish to purchase bit of
rOperty today At thousand dollars and
ell it tomorrow at five thousand cannot do it.
tut it is quite true. as a general rule. that
le great mass Of men who are engaged in
commercial and legitimate pro-
essional enterprises, and who conduct
ZEN honestly and upon correct business
are meeting with fair degree
pecuniary success. These men are pro-
simply consumers. They are
OF sucking the blood from other
eOple; they give fair equivalent
II what they get. Legitimate, honest
usiness is the true and trustworthy basis
n the permanent prosperity of . town.
nd this kind Of business is the characters e.
C feature of Springfield. Invalids who have
lenty Of money to spend may well 20 to
but those who 90 there with the
<pectation of making fortunes rapidly q
,Ould very seriously consider the situation I
sfore they leave sure thing-a city with |
l the conveniences and advantages OF I
vilized life: with first-class colleges I
I'd schools: with agricultural, G
and commercial facilities .